ADVOCACY- FEBRUARY, 2012
 
 
CONTACT YOUR SENATOR ON PAYDAY LOAN BILL
 
A bill that would allow a huge increase in interest for so-called payday loans is heading to the senate after passing the NH House.  This is a practice that greatly affects low-income persons; most of the groups that offer these loans (sometimes with 300% interest rates) are located in low-income areas.  Please contact your state senator to oppose this legislation. 
 
SAY NO TO HB 1560
 
HB 1560 in the NH legislature is part of a national attempt to change Medicare, Medicaid, and the new health care act (ACA) to block-granted money for the states to decide use.  Many of the folks who come to NSK&S rely on these programs and making them more difficult to get and more uncertain is devastating.
To find out your reps, go to http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members/wml.aspx .  Please contact them by Tues, Feb 14; the hearing is Feb 15.  Phone calls are better than emails.
 
ALSO SAY NO TO HB 1282
 
HB1282 weakens the ability to create housing for working families in NH.  The Business and Industry Association also is critical of this bill because it limits opportunities for construction.  Please contact your legislators (see previous item) to make our state a place of opportunity, not restriction.
 
 
 
 
 
HOUSING ACTION NH  
 
 
CONTACTS FOR OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION
 
It's never too soon to contact newly-elected or re-elected officials with concerns for housing, hunger, and jobs for low-income people.  Here are the contacts for congressional staffers who work on housing issues.
 
  Sen. Ayotte's office - susan_terzakis@ayotte.senate.gov

Congressman Bass' office - madeleine.clark@mail.house.gov

Sen. Shaheen's office - laura_simoes@shaheen.senate.gov

                                   Pam_Slack@shaheen.senate.gov

 

 HOW TO MAKE SENSE OF THE FEDERAL BUDGET

NH Citizens Alliance has information on its website on understanding how the federal budget operates: http://www.nhcitizensalliance.org/ .
 

 

NSK&S on FACEBOOK

Become a friend of Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter and/or Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter Advocacy Page on Facebook if you are on that social network, and encourage others to do so.  It is another way to bring the concerns of some of the people in Nashua who don't get heard in most networks to a broader audience.  Thanks!

SOME WEBSITES TO CHECK OUT

With much of federal legislation stalled or sidetracked, it is important to get the word out to our representatives in Congress that we are concerned about bills that affect homeless and hungry people in our neighborhood, a number that is growing daily due to job loss, increasing costs, and unexpected health care challenges.

Please check out the following websites to find issues and ways to support folks:
  http://www.npach.org/ - National Policy and Advocacy Council on Homelessness
http://www.nhvoicesforhealth.org/ - Voices for Health - advocacy for health issues in NH
http://www.nhcitizensalliance.org/ - NH Citizens Alliance, advocating for a range of needs in NH

http://www.chn.org/ - Coalition for Human Needs

http://www.spotlightonpoverty.org/
http://www.childrennh.org/ - NH Children's Alliance

http://www.nashua-coc.org/ - Nashua Continuum of Care, which oversees homeless programs in greater Nashua

http://www.nhcares.net/ - coalition of NH service providers that ensures care for those in need
 
 

 

 

*** SOME WAYS TO BE INVOLVED:

  1. Contact our current (and some new) congressional delegation to support the following:
    • Housing initiatives for those who cannot afford to buy homes
    • Promote job creation, and job security

    Email's are links to elected officals' web contact forms
    Senator Kelly Ayotte
      Tel.: 202 224-3324    Email via:   http://Ayotte.Senate.gov/contact/
    Senator Jeanne Shaheen
      Tel.: 202 224-2841   Email via: Shaheen.Senate.gov/contact/
    Rep. Charles Bass (Dist. 2)
      Tel.: 202 225-5206   Email via:  Bass.House.gov
    Rep. Frank Guinta (Dist. 1)
      Tel.: 202 225-5456  Email via: Guinta.House.gov

  2. The Ending Homelessness Committee welcomes citizen involvement - contact Eileen@NSKS.org for more information.